Creating Quality Couture Pays off - We're #1!

Creating Quality Couture for The People has really paid off as we've just been voted #1 Best Furniture/Showroom in LA!

I wanted to thank all who voted and assure you I will continue to create beautiful Quality Couture for YOU in the years to come!!

Let's face it, we all need change in our lives from time to time.  I'm always changing my showroom to give it a new feel and keep things fresh.  Over the last couple of weeks I decided to capture my entrance vignette to show how easy it can be to give your own home a new look and feel by simply changing out pillows and accessories!

The following photos show by keeping your main furniture pieces neutral and classic you can easily re-create an entire new look! 

This Classic Style Sofa, which can be either contemporary or traditional, is shown in a neutral off-white washed linen.  The sofa is dressed in cool spring and summer blues and greens and accessorized the same in the photo below.

The next photo shows a more neutral dressing and we've added a pair French Bergere Chairs on either side.

See how we changed out the rug in the following set, added mosaic panels on either side to frame up the vignette.  The lamps, accessories and pillows were also swapped out to create balance.

Last but not least, I've changed the coffee table with this fabulous vintage goatskin table by Karl Springer.  Again, the lamps and accessories were swapped to pull the gold, blue and purple tones out of the mosaic panels.  

I hope this gives you an idea to freshen up your own space.

Thank You again for voting CRAIG OLSEN #1 for 2011!

Just Add BABY!

I have designed more bedrooms than I can even remember in a myriad of different styles, but the one room I've always shied away from is the nursery. It's always seemed a challenge to me possibly because of my own fear of children...although I know I'd make a wonderful father:) I love the mommies, but babies have always intimidated me. Lately though it seems one of the biggest requests I'm asked is to design "the nursery." I faced my fears and began exploring BABY-LAND! Special thanks to a few of my VIC's (Very Important Clients) for allowing me to take you inside a couple of Couture Baby Rooms I've had the pleasure of decorating!

Billy's room was decorated around the custom orange area rug. Blues, browns and oranges will take Billy through the first decade of his life and easily transition him to the second!

For example, if Billy were to become a young adult tomorrow you could swap out the crib for a bed, change out the baby accessories and possibly paint the walls a shade of gray. A few small changes and Billy's room screams "Next stop, COLLEGE!"

The same rules apply when putting together a baby girls room, be sure to keep functionality and future in mind! In this room I've achieved a modern princess vibe that's sure to grow with the evolving taste of "The Princess" inhabiting this space:)

For our Princess' room I chose a playful color pallet that will grow with her in the years to come by simply changing the soft pink to fuschia.

I've truly conquered my intimidation of children and am now confident to take on any nursery, possibly even my own one day;)

Stop by and visit my design showroom anytime for ideas to get you and baby started off in style! For other great baby resources check out Bel Bambini and Serena and Lily.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Ray Valdez

Craig Olsen

130 N La Brea Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90036

323.677.2111

Here's an Idea to Unlock Your "Inner Designer"

As the host of an interior design showroom I’m frequently asked questions regarding my own personal design style, clients often ask “How’d YOU do it?”  

Aesthetically speaking you could say I’m complicated.  I consider my home to be an experimental pallet of rooms where I can try out new design ideas. 

I live in a 1926 Spanish Mediterranean home in Los Angeles.  Never having been one to leave anything untouched, I started researching what a Spanish Mediterranean should look like and was completely inspired when I came across the book The Orient in Western Art by Gerard Georges Lemared.  


My jaw dropped open when I came across the painting The Tiger Hunt by Peter Paul Rubins.  I fell in love with the rich colors and the power this painting evoked, hopefully you can see the similarities in my room, if not I suppose you should go on reading a blog about cooking, lol.

In this space I chose sapphire blues, golden yellows and oranges.  Transforming my space into the direction of French Morroccan I was also inspired by a 200 year-old historical block print French Zuber wallpaper (shown framed in the photo below.)

In my dining room, which I consider to be a work in progress, I have a piece of this wallpaper framed and it’s called Hindustan.  In the dining room I plan to add mirrors on either side of the Zuber, and possibly install sconces, which would be mounted on the mirrors.  I’m also contemplating adding striped wallpaper in the dining area as well, any feedback is more than welcome!

Homes are meant to be a work in progress and as new trends come forth, it’s perfectly OK to see if they would work with your budget and your existing furnishings.  Besides, it’s a lot of fun to change things around until you are satisfied.   Feel free to unlock you inner designer. 

I love mixing STYLES...

I love playing with COLOR....

AND I love combining layers of TEXTURE to achieve my design style. 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Ray Valdez

Stop by and visit my showroom on La Brea and achieve YOUR DESIGN STYLE TODAY!

Craig Olsen

130 N La Brea

Los Angeles, CA  90046

323.677.2111